Saturday, January 17, 2015

How to Protect Your Idea

Everyone's got stories. When I was worked in programming for television networks, I never told anyone what I did. Because once people heard what I did, they would start pitching me an idea. My cobbler would pitch me a show idea about cobblers, my taxi driver would say there should be a show about taxi drivers, not realizing that there already was a very successful series called "Taxi," and my son's teachers would pitch me educational sitcoms and dramas. They were convinced that viewers would love to see their stories up on the screen, if only "those idiots" at the networks would agree. Almost everyone who was about to pitch me an idea would ask if I planned to steal it. I would always say not to tell it to me if they thought I would steal it. While there are certainly unscrupulous people in the entertainment industry, idea stealing is not that common. It's not the idea that matters, it's the execution of the idea that matters. How many movies have been made where a parent and their teen child switch identities? Some have been hits and some disappear from the theaters after a week. It all depends on the execution. Therefore, the best way to protect your idea is to turn it into a property. If you have an idea for a movie, don't keep it in your head. Write a treatment, or do a rudimentary story board, or create a detailed outline. Don't just say that you want to create a reality show about a biker bar in Dallas -- go to Dallas, find the perfect biker bar for your show, and sign an exclusive agreement with them. If no one wants to read your screenplay, use it as an outline for a novel. Then write your novel and get it published. You may find it easier to get studios to read your script if it's based on a novel. As I pointed out, everyone has ideas. If an entertainment company doesn't like your idea, they know they can get ideas from any number of other creators. If you own a property that the entertainment company wants, you're in the driver's seat. JK Rowling had an idea for a novel about a boy wizard. That idea itself can't be protected. But once she wrote her first Harry Potter novel, she turned her idea into a property that has become one of the most valuable entertainment properties in the world. It also made her a billionaire. Maybe you have an idea that can be equally as successful. Turn it into a property and find out.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

The Easiest Place to Find Unique Stories

Happy 2015! I hope you had a Holiday Season full of joy, shared with your family and friends. Of course, for many of us, that family time is a mixed blessing. While I hope most of you enjoyed the time spent with your families, I wouldn't be surprised if your holiday time also included stresses and tensions. Just traveling home for the holidays can be a stress-filled adventure, as depicted memorably in films such as "Planes Trains and Automobiles," and "Home Alone," among many others. Yes, the holiday time and your families can be great sources of material, particularly for independent film makers. If you're creating your own content you probably don't have a multi-million dollar budget for special effects and stars. That means you won't shoot a film like "The Avengers," although you may be able to emulate Joss Whedon's follow-up project, a film of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" shot in his backyard. In addition to sharing meals with family and friends, did you share stories? Just about every family has a unique character whose story would fascinate other people. For example, my father and aunt told me stories about my grandfather I never knew. He didn't come to America through Ellis Island - he had a rich uncle who paid his passage, and put $20 in his pocket. That was enough money so he entered the country as a tourist, through Philadelphia. That uncle brought his whole family to New York, and owned some Nickelodeons and storefront theaters at the turn of the 20th Century. But he thought the film business was a fad, and sold them cheaply - and then lost that money in other investments. I think there's a good story in there, if I can develop it properly. You may have an even more promising story in your family. Start talking to your older relatives at family gatherings about their lives. Record what they say on your cell phone. Listen to their stories of growing up on a farm, or in the big city, or what they did during the war, or the good times that followed. Did they march on Washington in 1963, or hang out at Studio 54 during the seventies? Perhaps they weren't involved in the big political issues of their day, but there's drama and comedy in the every day interaction of people in all situations. The series "The Wonder Years," took place during the 60s and 70s, but followed the story of how a middle class suburban family lived during that time. If you're an independent producer or film maker you most likely don't have a budget to option popular stories, novels, or the true stories you see on television news. You need to find stories that can be made on a budget that will still resonate with an audience. No one but you can own your life story. Start with your life, your friends and your family. You'll be amazed at all the compelling material just waiting for someone to share it with the world.